


All of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation

by FandomsMoments



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-07 22:03:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomsMoments/pseuds/FandomsMoments
Summary: Put two people who ‘hate’ each other in an elevator for 5 hours. What happens?A tropey vanity au, October 2017. An alternative to the cellar scene.





	All of this silence and patience, pining in anticipation

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know what you think !!

#### Hour one

She’s tired, slightly tipsy on cheap champagne and her feet hurt. It’s four in the afternoon, later than she’d wanted to be at the vets conference till, she had to call Tracy and ask her to make sure Johnny was taken care of which she didn’t want to have to do. A taxi home from Leeds in rush hour traffic meant she might not make it back for tea time.

She lets out a puff of warm air from her mouth, harshly, to move the unruly part of her fringe from her eyes- frizzed from the in office heating. 

As she strides towards the lift, her pace hastens as the doors begin to close on a figure inside and she just wants to get _home_.

“Wait!” She calls out, voice breaking at the high pitch.  
Just wedging her foot between the doors, she sighs in relief, a contrast to the deep huff of annoyance inside. Looking up, Charity Dingle stares back at her, frown lines deep as her eyebrows pull together in protest to the interruption. 

“What you doing here?” Vanessa asks. She doesn’t mean to have a rude tone edging her voice, but she’s only asking out of common courtesy. Maybe also because she’s genuinely curious.

The lift doors close and they begin to move, a journey that will be short enough to make the conversation brief and meaningless. 

“Brewery meeting” Charity replies, folding her arms and looking straight ahead, disinterested.   
“You?” The taller blonde finally breathes out. She doesn’t sound particularly interested in making conversation. 

“RCVS meeti-“ An unattractive noise leaves her as she’s launched into Charity, hands clinging to a shoulder, and possibly a hip. She’s unsure. 

Surprise hits her as she doesn’t fall to the ground but is held up as she catches the breath that got caught in her throat by the sudden movement she was forced into. 

“What in _God’s_ name?” Charity whines, letting go as Vanessa straightens up and steps to the side.

A raucous screech sounds, bouncing against the four confined walls of the lift before travelling up above them, eventually silencing, eerily. They are unmoving, seemingly stuck and Vanessa wants to scream in frustration, even a little panic. 

A flash of nervousness crosses Charity’s face when Vanessa looks to it, but it doesn’t settle, replaced with irritation instead. She thinks. She could never tell how Charity was feeling in the few times she’d seen her across the bar. Her emotions flit across her face too quickly, almost like she’s actively trying to confuse people. 

“This _isn’t_ happening.” Charity grumbles, teeth ground together. 

Charity’s hand hits the red button by the floor numbers, that’s when it registers for Vanessa; The lift isn’t moving, they’re stuck, she is stuck, with Charity flaming Dingle of all people. 

Her breathing quickens and she closes her eyes, pressing a palm to her forehead as she sighs out shakily. 

A voice sounds through a speaker somewhere. A man. Presumably the buildings security or maintenance;

“Hello, we are aware there’s a mechanical problem right now causing your lifts abrupt stop, we are working on this immediately and should be able to get you out safe as soon as possible.” 

Charity laughs sarcastically “Is that it? That’s all you’ve got to say? You _should_ be able to g-“ 

“Miss” the intercom interrupts, “I promise we are trying our best to get this fixed as soon as possible, please sit tight and remain calm, we can see you on security, keep each other company.” 

“We don’t have much choice in that matter” Charity growls. Hitting her forehead against the metal of the doors.   
Vanessa wants to shove her for being so rude. She goes to apologise and thank the man but the intercom signals the end of their conversation. 

This could take hours. It does in the movies. Unfortunately for her, this isn’t some cheesy Rom-Com and this could be a painfully silent- or not silent few hours with someone she doesn’t have the greatest of opinions on. She reaches for her phone, going to call Tracy to make her aware of the longer delay this could cause. She notices the cross at the top of her screen indicating the lack of service.   
She attempts to call anyway, wincing when the call sounds a long ‘beep’ in her ear. 

“No signal, _stupid_ lift!” Vanessa whines, shoving her phone into her pocket, aggressively.   
She notes Charity rolling her eyes, not even attempting to reach into her bag to call anyone. 

“Being stuck with me really that much of a burden, babe?” Charity asks, teasingly. 

“I’d hardly call you company of the year” she bites back, instantly apologising with her eyes. 

Charity laughs. “Well, you better get used to it Vanessa because, it looks like we are stuck with each other for the foreseeable.”   
Charity smirks and, Vanessa can’t tell if it’s supposed to be endearing or evil. Either way it sends a shiver down her spine and she looks away.

#### Hour two

They’d been silent for some time. It was only a matter of minutes before Charity dropped her bag and slumped down next to it on the floor. Vanessa deemed it rather dirty but only minutes after Charity, joined her too. Her feet were already hurting after all. 

There wasn’t any talking. Charity seemed comfortable with that. Vanessa was less comfortable, she likes to know what people are thinking around her, otherwise she feels wary.   
Time was filled with impatient sighs and unnecessary coughs until a particularly long growl sounded from Charity’s tummy.   
Vanessa blushes, unsure why but, Charity just shrugs and fumbles around her handbag until she draws out a packet of quavers. 

Vanessa looks away, ignoring the empty feeling in her own stomach which is only lined with a glass of fizz. To her surprise, after hearing a few small crunches coming from Charity’s direction in front of her, she’s nudged by a rustle against her arm. When she looks up, Charity is holding out the packet of childlike crisps and her eyebrows are raised.   
She takes her time responding and Charity lets her know by sighing heavily. 

“Do you want some or not? They’re mostly filled with air anyway so don’t hog them, yeah?” Charity questions, nudging the packet forward again.

Vanessa was going to reject the offer, almost out of spite but she knows her tummy could rumble at any given moment and she’d rather save that embarrassment from happening. 

“Cheers” she replies, instead, and reaches to take a few from the packet. 

Charity was right. They got through maybe four crisps each before the packet was empty and discarded to the corner of the lift. Vanessa clenches her teeth together to stop herself from making a comment about littering. She doesn’t need any digs from Charity right now. Besides, a tiny hole had been filled from the snack so her mood should improve really. Charity had been surprisingly generous. 

“So.” Charity whistles, wriggling her foot as if it were moving to the sound of music. “Daz. Definitely not hot. How come you were drooling over him at Finn’s funeral? Bit too much to drink, babe?” 

Vanessa sighs and rests her head back against the bitter, metal walls.   
“Something like that, yeah.” 

Charity nods when she looks over.  
“What, just thought you’d throw caution to the wind? Live life to the full or whatever it is they say?” 

She frowns in annoyance. Why does Charity care? Why is she embarrassed? She thinks maybe she does know why, maybe Charity does too and that scares her beyond belief. 

“I think you could do better” Charity mutters, relaxing back. Vanessa shudders as Charity’s eyes rake over her body, seemingly slowly. She hopes Charity doesn’t notice and busies herself with removing her scarf and coat as the room seems to heat up in the small proximity.

“You’re being nice?” She eventually replies, once she’s a little more comfortable. She wants to say ‘you’re never nice, not unless you want something’ but the Dutch courage she might’ve had earlier has worn off. 

“I’m just saying babe, you’ve done better before... _Rhona_ for example” Charity grins and Vanessa’s sure she’s looking down on her. She feels hot and trapped and she’s suddenly defensive. There’s good reason for disliking Charity Dingle, after the hurt she caused between her Dad and Megan but now she can’t help but feel some sort of personal grudge. 

Charity answers her glare in an even more teasing tone.

“Oh yeah, I’ve heard some sordid stories, i mean, babe, I wouldn’t call it an unpleasant surprise but it definitely is one. A surprise, i mean.”

There’s so much she wants to say. Well, she thought. Nothing makes sense she just feels anger, she wants it to disappear. _she_ wants to disappear. She chooses silence, biting her lip to stop herself from speaking, to stop herself from snapping.

#### Hour three

The intercom breaks the silence Vanessa has created between them and, she’s almost thankful. The silence was more painful than not, her own thoughts were sharper than Charity’s words were and, she wants to stop thinking so much. 

“Ladies, apologies for the delay we are finding the root of the problem just be aware it could take a few hours but we are trying our best to be as quick and as safe as possible, is everything ok?”   
It’s the same man and Vanessa speaks before Charity has a chance, just so she doesn’t have to bite her tongue at any rude remarks again. 

“Yes, everything’s fine, considering, thank you.” 

The intercom signals an end again and Vanessa covers her face with her palms. 

“What’s with the silent treatment? You know times gonna go a lot slower if you keep ignoring me. _Not_ that I’m bothered either way.” Charity utters, tapping Vanessa’s foot with her own. 

Vanessa turns, shock clearly written on her face by the looks of Charity’s mock offended expression. She frowns in response and looks away.  
“Why are you so mean? Always having a go?”

Charity laughs. It isn’t a nice laugh, it’s arrogant and patronising and it makes her shift in her already uncomfortable position on the floor of the lift.   
“It’s a challenge, sort of, seeing how people will react, usually predictably”. 

Vanessa tried not to think much into the way Charity gazes at her with confused eyes, almost like she’d done the opposite. 

Charity continues. “If you can stab at someone first, it’s easier to know if you’re going to be stabbed back or if you’re leaving them with a wound, yourself with a victory. You know?”

“No, Charity.” She sighs. “I _don’t_ know. Is that really what you do? Stick the knife in before you really know peoples motives? Are you _really_ that bored and lonely?”   
She bites her lip to stop her mouth running away from her, she took it too far, too far to be sober and stuck in a small space with Charity.

She thinks there’s a flicker of hurt across Charity’s face, but that must be her own imagination, thinking Charity has a conscience, because it’s soon back to a sly smile. 

“Good things can happen between two bored and lonely people, Vanessa, I hardly see you as Miss Popularity right now.” 

If Vanessa didn’t have any sense, she would’ve mistaken Charity’s voice for being sultry. She pushes that thought away. 

“Is that all you’ve got?” She answers with a raised brow. 

“You’re just too _easy_ , Vanessa, I told you I like a challenge.” Charity bites her lip and gives her the same look up and down as she did earlier so, Vanessa shakes her head.

“Am i?” She questions. 

Charity doesn’t reply.

#### Hour four

According to her phone, they’ve hit their fourth hour. It’s a little stuffy and it feels as if the small space they have is getting more and more closed in, she’s surprised she doesn’t feel suffocated. 

Charity stands and Vanessa watches. They still haven’t spoken since their last tiff. Vanessa’s beginning to wonder if they could ever have a civilised conversation.   
Charity stretches her arms above her head, shedding her black tailored blazer as she brings them back down, fanning herself from the humidity. Vanessa takes in a breath and passes it off as a cough. Charity’s toned arms are on display now, only a jade cami tucked into slim trousers are left of Charity’s outfit after her polished black heels were abandoned only a little while ago. She’s beautiful, is Charity. It’s a shame she has to drag that down with such a negative persona. Vanessa does realise that Charity does in fact have _some_ redeeming personality aspects. Her humour of course. 

Vanessa feels hot again, herself, the confined space obviously holding in heat. She removes her striped jumper so just the linen of her white shirt will keep her cooler. Charity’s looking at her again and she regrets making any movement. She can’t be bothered with arguments, she just wants to leave. 

“You know I meant it, babe. You really could do better than _Daz_ of all people, i wasn’t joking.” Charity breaks the silence. 

Vanessa furrows her brows, unable to read Charity. “Why? why say it?” She asks, because she wants to know. She’s confused at the compliment in honesty. 

Charity rolls her eyes before jutting out her jaw and sighing.   
“I just have eyes, is all and, I meant it. You’re quite a looker when you’re not snapping heads off and getting defensive.”

Vanessa scowls but stands, she stumbles a little, unsteady on her legs, a bit dead from the long period of time sat down. She’s closer to Charity than expected. Quite literally only a breath away, an inch between them.

“Bit close, babe, what do you want?” Charity murmurs, eyebrow raised... suggestively?   
Vanessa’s chest lowers with her laboured breathing, heart thumping almost loudly if that were possible. She doesn’t answer because she doesn’t know, or, at least, she doesn’t _want_ to know what she knows she wants. 

“You know? The best thing for a distraction ... the best way to pass the time?” Charity asks. 

“No” Vanessa murmurs, not trusting her own voice, not trusting her own mind. 

Charity’s touch is soft when she hooks a finger underneath her chin, it sends a shock of _something_ down her neck. Something _good_. 

Charity leans forward and she finds herself doing the same, matching her movements like she’s in a trance, like she has no control over what her mind is telling her versus what her body is _needing_ her to do. 

Their lips touch and she’s on fire. It’s electric, the way their mouths move together. At first it’s soft, lips closed over hers and then they open, their tongues meet and it feels like _nothing_ she’s ever felt before.Warm and enticing, glorious and downright _sexy_ in the way their mouths dance together in a rhythm that shouldn’t feel so well rehearsed but it does. It does and she loves it, she craves it, instantly. 

Charity’s hand pushes at her hip, thumb smoothing over her hipbone. She feels naked but she’s not, yet she feels every brush of Charity’s fingers against her torso as she’s pressed against the cooling wall as if it’s skin against skin. When Charity’s hand does run under her shirt, hot and firm against her stomach, she groans. Literally, groans. It feels wonderful and it makes her breathless as Charity’s tongue runs delightfully along her own until they part, breathlessly, together. 

“Do you wanna find out?”  
Charity smirks against her lips, emerald eyes meeting her own in an intense yet comforting gaze. She barely notices her own hands shifting beneath Charity’s top that she’d unknowingly removed from her trousers. The touch of skin brings her back to reality and she’s nodding before she can think, trapped yet so free in a bubble with Charity Dingle. 

“Okay” Charity breathes, and then they’re kissing again. 

They’re More desperate this time, like they’ve got too much to lose. It should be uncomfortable, teeth clashing occasionally in the haste of it all but she’s too distracted by the nails scraping lightly down her ribs to care as she moans into the mouth that is making her so dizzy. 

“The camera” she suddenly breaths. 

“What?” Charity carelessly asks, lips attaching themselves to Vanessas neck that almost makes her forget about what she said. 

“The camera, Charity, they have a camera in here.” She groans out as their hips press together. 

“Bloody hell, Vanessa.” Charity grumps, nipping at her neck. Vanessa only finds it arousing, the obvious change in Charity’s voice; low and gravelly.

She’s left for a moment, Charity picks up her scarf from the ground and is soon jumping up to wrap it around the camera sticking out from the far corner. 

“There” Charity says, sternly. Stepping closer again, not even hesitating to bring their bodies together. “Now, where were we?”

#### Hour five

Buttoning up her shirt, Vanessa jumps as the intercom buzzes in and Charity laughs. The first genuine laugh Vanessa has heard from her.   
She glares as Charity pulls on her trousers. 

“Hello” the man starts, through the speaker. “Things should start moving any moment now, we’ve fixed the problem and should have you out, the camera has been blank for some time now, is everything okay?” 

Charity cackles and Vanessa elbows her, hoping she hasn’t taken the lighthearted gesture too far but, Charity just playfully squints her eyes and reaches up to remove the scarf from the camera. 

“Yeah” Charity replies. “Like you don’t know.” 

The man coughs, and bids well wishes before buzzing out. Vanessa feels sorry for him but doesn’t care for showing it as she smiles along with Charity.

Her heart still feels it’s beating too rapidly to be normal, and her skin still feels alive in a way it’s never felt before, in a way _she_ has never felt before. Right now, she doesn’t want to dwell on it. She takes her scarf instead, before straightening out her hair and accepting a kiss to her jaw as charity picks up her handbag and the lift starts moving, smoothly. 

“Well, that was-“ 

“Yeah” Charity interrupts, an arrogant smile on her face, Vanessa once would’ve found annoying. She doesn’t now. 

“L-listen, Charity would yo-“

“Yes” Charity interrupts, again. It makes her frown, she couldn’t possibly know what she was about to say, she’s not even sure herself. 

Charity’s hand somehow finds its way into the back pocket of Vanessa’s jeans, she gasps before the feeling is gone. Charity is holding her phone which allows her confusion to dissipate, and she attempts to dampen the smile on her face, knowing there’s a possibility Charity is making sure they can arrange something outside of a cramped public lift. 

The doors open as the phone is passed back. It’s dark outside, she can see from the windowed entrance they arrive in.   
She feels relief from the space they finally have as they walk out into the reception area of the offices they’ve been at all day, she can finally breathe, yet, she still feels disappointed, somehow. 

As they approach the main doors to walk outside, Charity speaks as she brings her phone to her ear. 

“Fancy sharing the taxi, maybe? I mean we live in the same village and, well if you don’t want to disturb your own house there’s always my-“

“Ok” she replies, too quickly, too eagerly. She wants to kick herself, but Charity smiles and winks before talking through the phone to the taxi company. 

Looking and feeling slightly disheveled, Vanessa woodfield leaves that building, in a taxi, with Charity Dingle. A phone number extra and a journey ahead of her she could never have ever imagined. All from being trapped, with a person she wouldn’t even have dreamed of before, for a few hours, with a little drink and a lot of unbeknownst chemistry.


End file.
